By The Numbers--Not a Pretty Picture...

[AZGrizFan]

I am surprised by the rushing numbers. With Delaney's offense you would think our O-Line would be built to run the football. It is difficult to score points when you are a one dimensional team, especially in the red-zone when there is no deep threat. I have confidence in Stitt but the execution has been suspect at best.

That was the problem in the last couple of seasons, our O line was not big enough to run over people. Still isn't. I think the freshmen o-linemen are bigger, or will be in a couples of seasons.

Who would have thought the twins were so important to our running game?

 

[get'em_griz]

You do realize that this is Stitt's first season here and he hasn't a single Stitt staff recruited player on deck? Oh shit Batman.

This is true but Urban Meyer went undefeated his first year at Ohio State. He didn't recruit anybody. When you're good you're good..... I supported the Stitt hire. I still do.

I don't think Urban Meyer had to implement a drastically different offensive system in his first year, so it makes it a little easier to play well when your players already know the system, even if there's a few differences to learn.

 

[Grizfan-24]

I am surprised by the rushing numbers. With Delaney's offense you would think our O-Line would be built to run the football. It is difficult to score points when you are a one dimensional team, especially in the red-zone when there is no deep threat. I have confidence in Stitt but the execution has been suspect at best.

I don't think three games do a trend make, but moving from a vertical blocking philosophy and a whole different zone blocking scheme to a stretch zone concept is a difficult transition. Secondly, when it comes to defenses the NDSU and Cal Poly games were going to be difficult units to run against. Thirdly, there has been an unwillingness to pull on stretch. Gustafson I don't think he pulled as much as could because he was dinged, and Chalich while somewhat more mobile isn't Simis in that category. Simis great advantage of the trio is that his feet are a greater help to the run game. He is more than capable of busting big gains. Though it might be entirely that their zone read package is more give than read. That might be the policy. Just don't know.

I wish people weren't so obsessed with girth on the OL. It helps to hunker down with in vertical pass sets, and press forward on man blocking concepts, but what is killing the Griz right now is that teams can gear up and flow to the front side of stretch. I can see play action and pull or even some counter reverse action down the road.

Would you like the team to average 5 or 6 yards a carry, for sure. The ineffeiciency of the offense as a whole probably plays a bigger role in the depressed rushing numbers. Stitt isn't going to abandon his offensive philosophy with Chalich in there, he isn't going to protect him by trying to run the ball more. I watched a handful of Chalich's games while at UofI, and he is more than capable at throwing the football. Hopefully a week of practice will improve his comfort. If the offense starts clicking on first down, then the play book opens up and the running game will get better opportunities to run in better leveraged situations.

Just my two cents.

 

[bgbigdog]

Very interesting. Thanks for assembling, AZ. At least, we know that the problems have nothing to do with the coaching. That's a relief.

CV, saw NZ beat Argentina at Wembley stadium in front of 89,000 fans. France/Romania today. England/Wales on Saturday.

Make time for Young's Peking or Ma-Karm Thai while you're in proximity of the stadium. Reputation's are well deserved.

 

[BadlandsGrizFan]

I dont think there is a team that played a tougher OOC schedule than the Griz this year besides maybe EWU...the Oregon game makes up for the shittiness of a Cats team...along with UNI...So im not too worried. Those first 3 games were brutal and we WON the most important of the 3...I think well be ok. We could be sitting at 1-1 right now feeling real good about our D2 win and holding EWU to 55....it could be worse.

 

[Umista]

Thinking of everything wrong is easy to do. AZ missed on many other items like special teams and QB/Receiver errors and the list could go on and on. All losing teams have excuses and usually have three or four outstanding players and plays to visit about as "highlights" after each losing game.

Generally speaking our downfall (in my opinion) has been the many-many MISTAKES we have made. What is so interesting is the mistakes almost involve every player. Amazing is more like it. And even more amazing is the fact we have been in every game inspite of these horrible foul-ups.

I am a risk taker by nature and I am looking at our team in another light. What does all this tell me? We are due to play a "normal" game with just a few normal mistakes and if we do that.... most will claim we played lights out great! So I stand by my instincts and feel we will play quite good and come out of this NAU game with a win. It is simply an odds play on my part. After all our team is good!

 

[BadlandsGrizFan]

If we could even limit the TOs to 1-2 a game were going to be winning those games...as weird as that is to say. If we only snap the ball over the QBs head once a game..were gonna be tough to beat....if we block 3 out of 5 rushing defenders..that would be a major improvement. I think these are all attainable goals...kind of like wanting to grow up and become a stripper.

 

[griz71]

These things concern me, and without getting them fixed, and pronto, this is gonna be a long season:

1) -5 in turnover margin. ZERO interceptions by our D through three games. Dead last in the league--and only one other team (UND) has no INT's at this point.
2) 5-15. # of TD's/Chances in the Red Zone. Horrid Red Zone offense. 1-6 TD's in the red zone against Liberty. By comparison, EWU is 13/13 in red zone TD's.
3) ZERO. The number of FG's made outside of 28 yards this year, in two attempts
4) 2.7. The average YPC for our backs. Only one team (UND) is worse.
5) 16/54. Our third down conversion rate. Yowza. Just 29% conversion rate (11th out of 13 teams)
6) 5. The number of touchbacks Lider has in 17 kickoffs.
7) 269. The number of return yards given up on kickoffs (2nd worst in the conference, only to Suck St)
8) 13. Our ranking in the BSC in yards per game rushing. That's right...dead f***[*] last.
9) 10. Number of sacks allowed--also dead last in the league
10) 24:17. Our average TOP per game. Again, DEAD LAST in the league.

Buckle up, fellas. I don't see this ship gettin' turned around any time soon.....sure is no shortage of things to work on at practice....

JUST BASICALLY BRUTAL!!! :x :x :x :x

 

[reinell30]

AZ, Are these really Griz stats? These are what we normally see for the bottom teams. Reality sucks! No where to go but up! UP, UP, AND AWAY...

 

[AZGrizFan]

Thinking of everything wrong is easy to do. AZ missed on many other items like special teams and QB/Receiver errors and the list could go on and on. All losing teams have excuses and usually have three or four outstanding players and plays to visit about as "highlights" after each losing game.

Generally speaking our downfall (in my opinion) has been the many-many MISTAKES we have made. What is so interesting is the mistakes almost involve every player. Amazing is more like it. And even more amazing is the fact we have been in every game inspite of these horrible foul-ups.

I am a risk taker by nature and I am looking at our team in another light. What does all this tell me? We are due to play a "normal" game with just a few normal mistakes and if we do that.... most will claim we played lights out great! So I stand by my instincts and feel we will play quite good and come out of this NAU game with a win. It is simply an odds play on my part. After all our team is good!

I agree and I hope you 're right.

 

[AZGrizFan]

If we could even limit the TOs to 1-2 a game were going to be winning those games...as weird as that is to say. If we only snap the ball over the QBs head once a game..were gonna be tough to beat....if we block 3 out of 5 rushing defenders..that would be a major improvement. I think these are all attainable goals...kind of like wanting to grow up and become a stripper.

We only had one TO against Liberty. :? :?

 

[bgbigdog]

1-2 after three pretty tough weeks. Week four doesn't look any easier. New coach, new system, dropped passes, missed blocks, over-throws, injuries & negative numbers, on and on and on. More than competitive in every game thus far, this is a team looking for its footing, and are right where a reasonable fan might expect them to be @ this point in the season given everything you've seen.

Not much choice but to enjoy/complain about the ride. It all works out in the end.

 

[AZGrizFan]

1-2 after three pretty tough weeks. Week four doesn't look any easier. New coach, new system, dropped passes, missed blocks, over-throws, injuries & negative numbers, on and on and on. More than competitive in every game thus far, this is a team looking for its footing, and are right where a reasonable fan might expect them to be @ this point in the season given everything you've seen.

Not much choice but to enjoy/complain about the ride. It all works out in the end.

Honestly, I thought there was about a 50-50 chance we'd be 0-3 to start....we were 4 seconds from being 0-3, but also 4 seconds from being 2-1, DESPITE how bad those numbers look....

As far as I'm concerned, Stitt gets the benefit of the doubt this entire season. :thumb:

 

[Mmont]

1-2 after three pretty tough weeks. Week four doesn't look any easier. New coach, new system, dropped passes, missed blocks, over-throws, injuries & negative numbers, on and on and on. More than competitive in every game thus far, this is a team looking for its footing, and are right where a reasonable fan might expect them to be @ this point in the season given everything you've seen.

Not much choice but to enjoy/complain about the ride. It all works out in the end.

Honestly, I thought there was about a 50-50 chance we'd be 0-3 to start....we were 4 seconds from being 0-3, but also 4 seconds from being 2-1, DESPITE how bad those numbers look....

As far as I'm concerned, Stitt gets the benefit of the doubt this entire season. :thumb:

,

Now, those are two reasonable posts. The players are still adjusting to a completely new system and coaches. Plus, it has been a tough first three games. Unless key injuries continue they should improve game by game. Also, Stitt needs to go get players that fit his system. Good things are ahead!

 

[JayLarson]

The only number that is concerning to me is the lack of scoring inside the 10. We try to get too cute down there, and our oline cannot get the push that we need to run down there, and throwing screens to the wideouts do not work down there, and neither does throwing the fade. We did not have a problem vs NDSU down there, because we were running lots of route combinations to get a wide-open receiver. The pass last week that lots are saying was a drop, was only because the defender had ahold of Robert's other arm so he could not get two hands on it. If we start scoring down there, all that other stuff does not matter.

 

[JayLarson]

Another stat I would be interested to see is average yards gained on first down? We have been dominated in this aspect all season long.

 

[grizcountry420]

The only number that is concerning to me is the lack of scoring inside the 10. We try to get too cute down there, and our oline cannot get the push that we need to run down there, and throwing screens to the wideouts do not work down there, and neither does throwing the fade. We did not have a problem vs NDSU down there, because we were running lots of route combinations to get a wide-open receiver. The pass last week that lots are saying was a drop, was only because the defender had ahold of Robert's other arm so he could not get two hands on it. If we start scoring down there, all that other stuff does not matter.

We will continue to have problems in the redzone because our o-line sucks really bad.. They suck at pass protection and run blocking. Its embarrassing watching them stand around after the qb gets sacked or they stuff our running back behind the line of scrimmage cause they cant protect the line of scrimmage..

 

[Raider]

The only number that is concerning to me is the lack of scoring inside the 10. We try to get too cute down there, and our oline cannot get the push that we need to run down there, and throwing screens to the wideouts do not work down there, and neither does throwing the fade. We did not have a problem vs NDSU down there, because we were running lots of route combinations to get a wide-open receiver. The pass last week that lots are saying was a drop, was only because the defender had ahold of Robert's other arm so he could not get two hands on it. If we start scoring down there, all that other stuff does not matter.

We will continue to have problems in the redzone because our o-line sucks really bad.. They suck at pass protection and run blocking. Its embarrassing watching them stand around after the qb gets sacked or they stuff our running back behind the line of scrimmage cause they cant protect the line of scrimmage..

But, they do wear DOLA t-shirts...........

 

[grizcountry420]

The only number that is concerning to me is the lack of scoring inside the 10. We try to get too cute down there, and our oline cannot get the push that we need to run down there, and throwing screens to the wideouts do not work down there, and neither does throwing the fade. We did not have a problem vs NDSU down there, because we were running lots of route combinations to get a wide-open receiver. The pass last week that lots are saying was a drop, was only because the defender had ahold of Robert's other arm so he could not get two hands on it. If we start scoring down there, all that other stuff does not matter.

We will continue to have problems in the redzone because our o-line sucks really bad.. They suck at pass protection and run blocking. Its embarrassing watching them stand around after the qb gets sacked or they stuff our running back behind the line of scrimmage cause they cant protect the line of scrimmage..

But, they do wear DOLA t-shirts...........

DOLA left when Bobby moved on to greener pastures...

 

[Raider]

Truth!